Your Right to Know

Gov. John Kasich today kicked off his newfound practice of having the state’s college and
university presidents collaborate on spending requests for projects on their campuses.

Last year was the first that Kasich asked the state's 37 institutions — including four-year
and two-year schools — to work together to come up with projects to be funded rather than
submitting them individually. The process, headed by then-Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee,
resulted in a two-year $400 million spending plan. With Gee now retired, Ohio University President
Roderick McDavis and Southern State Community College President Kevin Boys will co-chair the
effort.

“Their job will be to continue the process,” Kasich said in a news conference at the
Statehouse, following a meeting of the college and university presidents.

Kasich’s budget director Tim Keen said the administration would like to present a capital
projects bill to the General Assembly early next year. He said there was no specific dollar target
in mind, but the next bill would at least match the $400 million from last year. Keen also said
there would be some room in the next capital budget for community projects.

The state’s previous total capital projects budget — including higher-education,
K-through-12, prisons, and other building projects — was $1.74 billion.